Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected the idea of ceding the Donbas region to Russia in exchange for a ceasefire, warning that such a move would only pave the way for further Russian offensives, the BBC reports. His remarks come as Russian forces notch fresh gains near the eastern town of Dobropillia, reportedly advancing six miles in a new push.
Zelensky's comments set the stage for a high-stakes meeting between US President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday—a summit from which Kyiv is notably sidelined. Trump has floated the idea of "swapping territories," suggesting that a deal might see Russia take control of all of Donbas and keep Crimea, an idea that has sparked unease in Ukraine and across Europe. Meanwhile, Putin spoke to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the phone ahead of the Alaska summit, and reaffirmed they are in alignment regarding the Ukraine war, the AP reports.
Zelensky, speaking both to reporters and in his nightly address, underscored that surrendering the Donbas (which comprises the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk) would remove a critical defensive buffer and invite further Russian attacks. "If we withdraw from the Donbas today… we will clearly open a bridgehead for the Russians to prepare an offensive," he warned.
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Russian troops hold almost 20% of Ukrainian territory overall, maintaining control over nearly all of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk, and Zelensky says Russia wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of Donetsk as part of a ceasefire deal—which Zelensky vowed not to do, the AP reports. As reports swirl about new offensives planned in several regions, Zelensky voiced skepticism about the closed-door Alaska summit, noting the absence of Ukrainian representation and calling the choice of location a "personal victory" for Putin. The Ukrainian president will be in Berlin Wednesday for virtual meetings with European and US leaders ahead of the Alaska summit, the AP reports.
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